Toyota Tsusho Corporation ("Toyota Tsusho") announces it has begun planning a "Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing" to be established around the summer of 2018 in the Mandal Industrial Park, a specialized manufacturing zone for Japanese-related companies in the State of Gujarat, India. The school will be certified by Japan's Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry (METI).

Under a memorandum of cooperation signed in November 2016, Japan and India agreed to establish new institutes in India as part of a "Manufacturing Skill Transfer Promotion Program." The institutes are joint public-private initiatives between the Japanese government and private companies designed to instill Japanese-style manufacturing skills and practices at Indian manufacturing sites. The first institutes opened by four Japanese companies have already been certified by METI. The Toyota Tsusho institute will be part of the second round of school openings.

Toyota Tsusho established TechnoTrends Auto Park Private Limited ("TechnoTrends Auto Park") in the Mandal Industrial Park in 2014 to provide plug-and-play rental factories to small- and medium-sized Japanese manufacturers entering the local market. The company began operations in 2017. In addition to rental factories, TechnoTrends Auto Park provides start-up support, shared infrastructure, and other services to promote successful business operations.

The establishment of an institute represents the expansion of the services to human resources development. The institute will enable TechnoTrends Auto Park to provide greater operational support in India to Japanese small- and medium-sized companies requiring human resource training and retention.

Toyota Tsusho is proud to contribute to the India's promotion of "Make in India" and "Skill India" by supporting Japanese companies entering the Indian manufacturing market.

■Overview of Techno Trends Auto Park Private Limited